Legalization of marijuana in host of new states has raised hopes in the cannabis industry that a more stable regulatory environment could emerge in 2107, according to an industry trade association. In a report issued at the end of 2016, the Cannabis Business Alliance offered a recap of the victories for the legal marijuana industry in 2016 and looked ahead to possible issues in the New Year.

Mark Malone, executive director of the CBA, said the industry hopes to see more uniform regulation for the industry. That, in turn, will help the industry grow and aid law enforcement in policing the legal cannabis industry.

“Rules are changing too fast and too often. Now that Colorado’s adult-use market has a couple of years under its belt, the industry would like to see stability in rules so that law enforcement can regulate industry in a more efficient way,” Malone said in a prepared statement. “The industry also wants to see more in-depth research that properly codes cannabis sources, so we can decipher between the regulated market and the black market.”

Marijuana issues in the New Year.

The CBA also offered a look ahead at some of the issues that could face the industry in 2017. They start with President-elect Donald Trump, who has raised concerns in the cannabis industry that he could rollback gains made in legalized marijuana.

President Trump

As with many issues, President-elect Trump’s exact views on legalized marijuana remain unknown. Some have concerns about Trump’s nomination of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, a long-time marijuana opponent, as attorney general. CBA said it “looks forward” to working with the administration and will emphasize that the legal cannabis business:

Is compliant with local laws

Creates thousands of jobs

Generates tax revenue for states

Fits into the long-held Republican belief in states’ rights

Potency education

The CBA likens attempts to regulate the potency of marijuana products to limiting the alcohol content in all liquor to “3.2 percent beer.” The association plans to continue work on educating consumers on why various levels of potency remain necessary. For example, some with chronic pain might want a higher level of potency than someone using marijuana for other health problems.

The CBA argues that the level of potency needed for medical marijuana users is a matter best left to patient and doctor. They have issued a long list of myths about marijuana potency. Those include the idea that marijuana is more potent today than it was years ago.

New testing rules

Currently, marijuana products that fail pesticide testing end up destroyed. The CBA supports a move that would allow harvest batches of marijuana to be turned into solvent-based concentrates if they fail the test and regulators otherwise consider them to be safe. Such a move could save the industry millions, according to the CBA.

Follow dispensaries.com on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

From retailers to growers, producers, and suppliers, there’s a seemingly never-ending list of startup opportunities in this emerging market. In Start Your Own Cannabis Business, marijuana, biotech, and entrepreneurship reporter Javier Hasse introduces forward-thinking entrepreneurs like you to the industry and shares hard-earned tips and success stories from pioneers and visionaries in the marijuana industry.

The information contained on this website ("Content") represents the views and opinions of the persons or entities expressing them. The Content does not represent an endorsement by, or the views and opinions of, Entrepreneur Media, Inc. ("EMI"), is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and should in no way be interpreted as medical, legal, or any other advice concerning the cultivation, sale, or any other use of marijuana, which, although legal in some states and local jurisdictions throughout the United States, is currently illegal under federal law, as well as in other states and local jurisdictions. Because of the variety of laws, regulations, and ordinances concerning marijuana, the Content may not be suitable for your situation. Consequently, EMI makes no expressed or implied warranties nor assumes any liability whatsoever, concerning the accuracy or reliability of the information contained herein, including warranties about the legality of, or likelihood of success in, conducting a cannabis business. EMI does not advocate violating applicable law, and therefore strongly recommends that you carefully research applicable laws, and consult with appropriate licensed professionals and other experts, before taking any action in connection with, or based on, such Content.

Entrepreneur Media, Inc. values your privacy. In order to understand how people use our site generally, and to create more valuable experiences for you, we may collect data about your use of this site (both directly and through our partners). The table below describes in more detail the data being collected. By giving your consent below, you are agreeing to the use of that data. For more information on our data policies, please visit our Cookie Policy.

Name

Category

Google

Ad Serving, Ad Targeting, Analytics/Measurement, Optimisation

Rubicon

Ad Serving

Teads

Ad Serving

Nativo

Ad Serving

Teads

Ad Serving

New Relic

Analytics/Measurement

Log Entries

Analytics/Measurement

Sailthru

Content Customization

I confirm that I am over the age of 16 and consent to the collection of the above data.